U.S. patent number 3,898,974 [Application Number 05/499,175] was granted by the patent office on 1975-08-12 for archery bowstring release.
Invention is credited to Elmer L. Keck.
United States Patent |
3,898,974 |
Keck |
August 12, 1975 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Archery bowstring release
Abstract
A hand-held device for aid in drawing and releasing an archery
bowstring. The device includes a substantially T-shaped main body
of two spaced apart members that are T-shaped, the crossbar of the
body being adapted for manual gripping by the user with his hand in
a palm down position, and the center leg of the body projecting
forwardly therefrom. The crossbar and center leg of each member are
in substantially a common plane. A string receiving first notch is
formed in the forward end of the central leg. A rotatable member
having a second notch formed therein is swingable between a cocked
position, with opposite side portions defining opposite sides of
the second notch extending transversely of the first notch, and a
release position swung out of the way of the notch in the main
body. An elongate catch arm is pivotally connected intermediate its
ends to the main body. The forward end of the catch arm is
shiftable between a holding position for retaining the holding
member in its cocked position and a release position allowing
release of the holding member. A trigger adjacent the other end of
the operator arm is manually shiftable in opposite directions for
swinging the catch portion between its cocked and release
positions.
Inventors: |
Keck; Elmer L. (Vancouver,
WA) |
Family
ID: |
23984155 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/499,175 |
Filed: |
August 21, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
124/35.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B
5/1469 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F41B
5/18 (20060101); F41B 5/00 (20060101); F41C
019/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;124/35A,41,25,31
;24/132WL,241PP,23AV,23A ;294/83R,26 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Browne; William R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kolisch, Hartwell, Dickinson &
Stuart
Claims
It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:
1. A device for aid in drawing and releasing an archery bow string
comprising
a body including an elongate handle means for grasping by a user
and a bowstring receiving portion spaced forwardly from said handle
means, said handle means and bowstring receiving portion occupying
a substantially common plane, and said bowstring receiving portion
having a string receiving notch formed therein which extends
through the body and is substantially normal to said substantially
common plane and opens to the forward side of said string receiving
portion, said handle means being adapted for manual gripping and
being positioned in a substantially horizontal position
perpendicular to a plane occupied by a bow and bowstring with the
user's hand held palm down when grasping handle means during the
holding and releasing of a bowstring and said string receiving
notch extending vertically,
string holding means for engaging and holding a bowstring in said
notch including an elongate arm and pivot means pivotally mounting
said arm for swinging about a pivot asix spaced to one side of said
notch between a cocked position in which said arm extends across
and closes off a forward side of said notch to hold a bowstring
therein and a release position in which said arm is swung laterally
of said notch and forwardly of its cocked position to release a
bowstring from the notch, and
catch means mounted for movement toward and away from said string
holding means between a holding position in which it is operable to
retain said string holding arm in its cocked position and a release
position permitting swinging of said holding arm to its release
position.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said pivot axis provided by said
pivot means extends substantially normal to said plane and said
string holding means further comprises a cocking portion spaced
rearwardly from said arm, operatively connected to said arm, and
projecting into said notch when said arm is in its release
position, said cocking portion having a forwardly facing surface
against which a bowstring may be pressed to urge the cocking
portion to shift rearwardly in the notch and its operative
connection with said arm producing swinging of said arm to its
cocked position with the string held in the notch between said arm
and cocking portion.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein said holding means comprises a
unitary member pivotally connected to said body and said arm and
cocking portions comprise portions of said member projecting to one
side of said pivot means in a direction substantially parallel to
said plane.
4. The device of claim 1, which further comprises yieldable biasing
means urging said arm toward its release position.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein said catch means comprises a
catch portion adjacent said forward end of the device operable when
in its holding position to engage said string holding means and a
manually operable trigger portion adjacent said handle means
shiftable in a plane substantially paralleling said plane of the
handle means and operatively connected to said catch portion for
shifting the same between its holding and release positions.
6. The device of claim 5, which further comprises yieldable biasing
means urging said catch portion toward its holding position.
7. A device for aid in drawing and releasing an archery bowstring
comprising
a main body including a handle means for grasping by a user and a
bowstring receiving portion spaced forwardly from said handle
portion, said handle portion and bowstring receiving portion
occupying a substantially common plane, and said bowstring
receiving portion having a string receiving notch formed therein
which extends vertically through the body and is substantially
normal to said substantially common plane and opens to the forward
side of said string receiving portion, said handle portion being
adapted for manual gripping and being positioned in a substantially
horizontal position perpendicular to the plane occupied by a bow
and bowstring with the user's hand held palm down when grasping the
handle means during the holding and releasing of a bowstring and
said string receiving notch extending vertically,
a string holding member having laterally spaced, opposed side
portions defining a second notch therebetween extending
therethrough substantially normal to said plane and opening to one
side of said holding member, said member being pivotally mounted on
said body for swinging about a pivot axis spaced laterally of said
first-mentioned notch and extending substantially normal to said
plane between a cocked position in which said side portions
defining said second notch extend transversely of the
first-mentioned notch with a portion of said second notch
coinciding with a portion of the first-mentioned notch to define a
string holding region with said side portions of the holding member
bounding front and rear sides of said region, and a release
position swung forwardly about said pivot axis with the forward one
of said said portions swung laterally of the first-mentioned notch
to permit release of a bowstring therefrom, and
an elongate operator arm pivotally mounted on said main body for
swinging relative thereto about a pivot axis extending
substantially normal to said plane between a holding position and a
release position, said operator arm having a catch portion adjacent
the forward end thereof operable when in its holding position to
engage and hold said string holding member in its cocked position
and when in its release position to permit swinging of said catch
member to its release position and a trigger means adjacent said
handle portion of the main body adapted for manual shifting in
opposite directions in a plane substantially paralleling the plane
of said handle means, with movement in one direction producing
shifting of said catch portion from its holding to its release
position.
8. A device for aid in drawing and releasing an archery bowstring
comprising
a body including an elongate handle means for grasping by a user
and an elongate string holding portion projecting outwardly at a
substantial angle from said handle means intermediate the ends of
said handle means, with said handle means and the forward end of
said string holding portion spaced forwardly from said handle means
and occupying a substantially common plane perpendicular to a plane
occupied by a bow and bowstring during normal use, said string
holding portion having a string receiving notch extending
therethrough substantially normal to said substantially common
plane and opening in a direction facing away from said handle
means,
a string holding member having laterally spaced side portions
defining a second notch therebetween opening to one side of said
member, said member being pivotally mounted on said string holding
portion of the body for swinging about a pivot axis spaced
laterally from said first-mentioned notch said pivot axis extending
substantially normal to said plane between a cocked position in
which its side portions extend transversely of said first-mentioned
notch with said second notch coinciding with a portion of said
first-mentioned notch to define a string holding region and a
forwardmost side portion of said member being operable to hold a
bowstring in said region and a release position wherein said
forwardmost side portion is swung laterally of said first-mentioned
notch to open the forward end of said region, and
catch means for engaging and holding said string holding member
manually shiftable between a holding position engaging and holding
said string holding member in its cocked position and a release
position out of engagement therewith permitting swinging of said
string holding member to its release position.
9. The device of claim 8, which further comprises biasing means
operatively connected to said string holding member for yieldably
urging said member toward its release position.
10. The device of claim 8, wherein said catch means comprises an
elongate arm having a catch portion adjacent said string holding
member and a trigger mounted adjacent said handle means for manual
shifting in opposite directions in said plane.
11. A device for aid in drawing and releasing an archery bowstring
comprising
a top body plate and a bottom body plate of substantially similar
configuration, each body plate having an elongate handle portion
and a string receiving portion secured to and projecting outwardly
from said handle portion intermediate the ends of the handle
portion and occupying a common plane with said handle portion, said
string receiving portion having a notch formed therein which
extends substantially normal to said plane and opens to the forward
end thereof,
spacer means maintaining a laterally spaced relationship between
said string receiving portions of said top and bottom plates,
means securing said body plates in registry with each other with
said notches defining a common string receiving channel open to the
forward end of the body plates,
a string holding means including an elongate arm pivotally
connected to a body plate for swinging in a plane intermediate said
string receiving portions of said body plates and said holding
means being movable between a cocked position extending across said
common string receiving channel for holding a bowstring therein and
a release position swung laterally of said channel forwardly of its
cocked position, and
catch means for holding said string holding means in its cocked
position and for releasing
holding means to permit pivoting of the holding means and release
of a bowstring
12. The device of claim 11, wherein said catch means comprises an
elongate arm extending through said space intermediate said body
plates and having a catch portion adjacent its forward end
shiftable into and away from enngagement with said string holding
means and a trigger portion adjacent said handle means of the body
member manually shiftable to produce such movement of said catch
means.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein said elongate arm of said catch
means is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to one of said
body plates.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device to aid an archer in drawing and
releasing an archery bowstring.
Various types of devices have been designed in the past in an
attempt to aid archers in drawing and releasing bowstrings. For the
most part, such devices have not been successful, in that they have
been either overly complex and cumbersome, have produced less than
desired accuracy in release of the arrow, or have produced
excessive wear on the bowstring in the region engaged by the
device.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel
device for drawing and releasing an archery bowstring which
overcomes the above-noted objections of prior devices in a simple
and efficient manner.
Another object is to provide such a novel device which is simply
and inexpensively constructed and is of convenient size and design
for comfortable holding and to produce accurate arrow release.
Yet another object is to provide such a novel device for drawing
and releasing an archery bowstring which produces minimal wear on
the bowstring in the region engaged by the device.
A still further object is to provide a novel device for drawing and
releasing an archery bowstring which may be left unattended on the
bowstring when not in use.
A still further object is to provide a novel device for drawing and
releasing an archery bowstring which may be operatively connected
to a bowstring prior to drawing, merely by pressing the bowstring
into a receiving notch in the device. The construction of the
device is such that when the bowstring is pressed into the notch, a
string holding member is moved into a cocked position and is held
in this cocked position until manually released as desired by the
user.
More specifically, the device of the invention includes a main body
having an elongate handle portion and a string holding portion
projecting outwardly at a substantial angle therefrom. The device
is adapted to be held by a user with the handle portion
substantially horizontal and the user's hand held palm down. The
string holding portion projects substantially horizontally
forwardly from the user's hand. A forwardly opening string
receiving notch, extending vertically in the device when used, is
adapted to receive a string therein. A string holding member is
pivotally mounted adjacent the string receiving notch in the main
body and this member has a notch therein which coincides with the
string receiving notch in the main body when the device is cocked.
A side of the string holding member bounding a side of the notch
therein holds a string in the notches when the device is cocked. On
release of the holding member it is operable to swing toward the
open end of the string receiving notch to release the bowstring
therefrom. An operator arm pivotally mounted in the main body has a
catch portion adjacent its forward end operable to hold the string
holding member in its cocked position and a trigger adjacent its
opposite end engageable by a user's finger or thumb which may be
shifted substantially horizontally to swing the catch portion of
the operator arm out of engagement with the catch member to allow
it to release the bowstring.
DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages will become more fully
apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with
the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention
illustrated in use;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the device illustrated in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device taken generally
along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the device taken generally along
the line 4--4 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the forward end of the device as
illustrated in FIG. 2 with a top plate thereof removed and
illustrating loading a bowstring into the device;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device with a top plate thereof
removed illustrating the device in its cocked position; and
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 with a string holding member
therein released.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, and first more specifically to FIG. 1,
at 10 is indicated generally a device for drawing and releasing an
archery bowstring constructed in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention. A bowstring 12 is illustrated loaded in and drawn by
the device. The rear, or nocked, end of an arrow 14 is illustrated
in dashed outline nocked on the bowstring, and a user's hand is
illustrated in dashed outline at 16.
Describing device 10 in detail, it includes a pair of substantially
parallel top and bottom plates 18, 20, respectively. Each of the
plates has the somewhat T-shaped configuration as illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2 for plate member 18 and as illustrated in FIG. 6 for
plate 20. The plates have what may be referred to as crossbar, or
handle, portions 18a, 20a and central leg portions, also referred
to as string holding portions, 18b, 20b extending outwardly at a
substantial angle from intermediate regions of portions 18a, 20a.
The forward ends of these central legs each have a notch formed
therein 18c, 20c which open to the forward end of the device.
Body plate 18 is planar and of substantially constant thickness
throughout. The string holding portion 20b of body plate 20 and the
central region of its handle portion 20a also are planar and of
substantially constant thickness. Opposite end sections 20e, 20f of
the handle portion, however, are of increased thickness, as is best
seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 6. When the plates 18, 20 are placed in
juxtaposed aligned, or registering, relationship, as illustrated,
their forward notches 18c, 20c are aligned to define a common
string receiving notch, or channel, which extends vertically
through the forward end of the device when the plate members are
held substantially horizontal and opens to the forward end thereof.
Sections 20e, 20f of increased cross section act as spacer means to
maintain string holding portions 18b, 20b, and central regions of
the handle portions in positions spaced apart a preselected
distance.
A pair of projections 24, 26 extend outwardly from sections 20e,
20f (see FIG. 6) and are received in accommodating bores in plate
20 when the device is assembled, thus to aid in initially
establishing and maintaining alignment of the body plates. A screw
fastener 30 extends through accommodating bores in plates 18, 20 to
secure the plate members together.
A pivot post 32 (see FIGS. 5-7) is secured at one of its ends to a
forward portion of string holding portion 20b and projects
outwardly therefrom toward portion 18b. Mounted in the space
between the forward ends of portions 18b, 20b and journaled for
rotation on post 32 is a bowstring holding member 36 having the
configuration illustrated in FIGS. 5-7.
Member 36 includes an elongate arm portion 36a and a side portion
36b spaced therefrom which define a string receiving notch
therebetween. The holding member is swingable about post 32 between
what is referred to herein as a holding, or cocked, position as
illustrated in FIG. 6 and a release position as illustrated in FIG.
7. In its cocked position, portions 36a, 36b extend transversely of
notches 18c, 20c, with arm portion 36a adjacent the forward end of
the notch, portion 36b adjacent the rear end of the notch, and the
notch formed therebetween coinciding with a portion of the string
receiving notch, or channel, in the body plates. In its release
position, the holding member is swung forwardly whereby arm portion
36a swings laterally to the side of the string receiving channel,
or notch, in plates 18, 20 to open the front end of such notch,
whereby a string may exist therefrom. In this release position, as
is best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7, a forward surface of arm
portion 36b extends transversely of the string receiving notches,
or channel, at the forward end of the main body.
As is seen in FIGS. 5-7, an elongate, arcuate opening 40 is formed
in member 36. A stop post 42 secured at one of its ends to plate
portion 20b and projecting outwardly toward plate portion 18b
extends through opening 40. A compression spring 44 is interposed
between posts 42 and an end of opening 40 to yieldably urge member
36 to rotate in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 5-7 from its
cocked toward its release position. The length of opening 40 is
such that when member 36 is rotated to the positions illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 7, an end of opening 40 engages post 42 to act as a
stop to limit rotation of the holding member to such position.
An elongate arcuate operating, or catch, arm 46 is interposed
between plates 18, 20 and extends through the space between
sections 20e, 20f acting as spacers. Arm 46 is pivotally mounted on
the main body by being journaled intermediate its ends on screw
fastener 30.
The outer, or forward, end of operating arm 46 has a hooked, or
catch, portion 46a adapted to catch arm portion 36a of the string
holding member is illustrated in FIG. 6 and hold it in a cocked
position. The opposite end of the operating arm includes a trigger
portion 46b which projects substantially normal to the plane of the
major portion of the operating arm and is disposed adjacent one end
of handle portions 18a, 20a of the plate members.
An elongate compression spring 54 (see FIG. 6) interposed between
operating arm 46 and section 20f yieldably biases arm 46 to rotate
the same in a clockwise direction as illustrated in FIG. 6 toward a
holding, catch, position whereby it may engage and hold member 36.
Rotation of operating arm 46 in a counterclockwise direction,
against the urging of spring 54, shifts catch portion 46a of the
arm to a release position as seen in FIGS. 5 and 7 which releases
holding member 36 to allow it to rotate to its release position as
seen in these figures.
An elongate adjustment screw 56 seen in dashed outline in FIG. 6,
extends through a threaded bore in section 20e of plate 20.
Operating arm 46 abuts an end of screw 56 when swung in a clockwise
direction, with screw 56 thus providing an adjustable stop for
selectively adjusting the extent to which catch portion 46a
overlies portion 36a on holding member 36. The amount by which
trigger portion 46b must be moved to release the bowstring thus may
be selectively set to provide either a hair trigger or a less
sensitive release.
Describing the operation of the device, the user first grips the
handle of the device provided by portions 18a, 20a, preferably with
his index finger on one side of portions 18b, 20b and two fingers
on the opposite side, with portions 18b, 20b extending forwardly
between his fingers. With holding member 36 in its release position
as illustrated in FIG. 5, bowstring 12 is inserted into the string
receiving notch with the string substantially normal to plates 18,
20. The string is pressed against the forwardly facing surface of
portion 36b. As the bowstring is pressed thereagainst, it rotates
holding member 36 in a counterclockwise direction, against the
urging of spring 44, toward the position illustrated in FIG. 6. The
forward end of catch portion 46a is rounded to permit arm 36a to
move thereover, urging the catch portion 46a away from the notch,
until arm 36a is in the cocked position illustrated in FIG. 6. When
the pressure of the bowstring has urged the holding member to the
position shown in FIG. 6 catch portion 46a of operating arm 46
comes into a holding, or cocked, position overlying arm portion
36a. Bowstring 12 then is held in the coinciding notches of the
main body and holding member 36.
With holding member 36 thus held in its cocked position, the bow
may be held upright and the device is held substantially horizontal
with the user's hand 16 held palm down, as illustrated in
dot-dashed outline in FIG. 1. The bowstring then may be drawn with
the user's hand held palm down and this thumb against trigger
portion 46b. When the bowstring has been drawn to a desired
position and the arrow has been properly aimed, the user swings
trigger 46a with his thumb in a substantially horizontal plane
against the urging of spring 54. This rotates arm 46 about fastener
30 to swing catch portion 46a of the operating arm to the position
illustrated in FIG. 7, thus to release the holding member. The
holding member then swings to its release position under the urging
of spring 44 and the tension in the bowstring, thus releasing the
bowstring from the front of the notches.
With such construction, as the string is released the
spring-rotated holding member swings outwardly and forwardly with
the bowstring to produce minimum wear of the string and thus
increase string life. The catch member does not engage the string,
and thus there is no lateral movement of a face of the catch member
across the string which may produce inaccuracies in release and
wear on the string.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described
herein, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that
variations and modifications are possible without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
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